More on Reading--Of Course

When I worked as a school librarian, we had Accelerated Reader for the students to use. This program certainly increased the amount the students were reading, helped them expand the genre of books they tried, and helped access their reading comprehension.

With that said, the program did have its problems. The ones I encountered included incorrect assessment of student's reading level, consistency with the levels assigned to the books, students competing against one another rather than challenging themselves, or students pressured to achieve with little supplemental help from faculty or parents.

As a child's literacy advocate, I am intrigued with a new reading approach from educator, Laura Candler. Ms. Candler has experience with the Accelerated Reader program but has devised her own reading strategy for students which she says works even better. It's called EMPOWERING READERS. You can become part of her ongoing discussion group focusing on these reading strategies. And you can take a preview of the Ms. Candler's work in progress to see if her reading strategies could work in your class or homeschool environment.

The preview is intriguing. And there is nothing I love better than to see children caught up in the reading adventure. You might want to take a look and see what you think. Would a reading workshop work in your class?

SUMMER READING SUGGESTIONS

Children’s Choice Book Awards
Children’s Book Council on May 13 announced this year’s winners.

2008 Summer Reading Olympics
Reading Is Fundamental provides a fun list of athletic titles sure to please even the picky readers on your list.

Ezra Jack Keats Award 2008
This award was established in 1985 to recognize new authors & illustrators in the children’s arena for picture books for children 9 & under. For past winners, click on the link above.

• THE APPLE PIE THAT PAPA BAKED by Lauren Thompson/Illustrator: Jonathan Bean
  
  LEAVES by David Ezra Stein

What Books Kids Are Reading (May 5, 2008)
The following list is provided by Renaissance Learning and based on information from their Accelerated Reader program used in schools throughout the United States. For a complete list of favorite titles per grade, click on the link above.

1-Green Eggs & Ham
2-If You Give a Mouse a Cookie
3-Charlotte’s Web
4-Tales of a 4th Grade Nothing
5-Bridge to Terabithia
6-Hatchet
7&8-The Outsiders